奇绝 (qí jué) — (literary) incomparably wonderful; uniquely superb

Definition

Literary adjective-like verb meaning 'incomparably superb' — used in formal writing to praise scenery, art, or skill at the highest level. Rare in everyday speech.

verb
(literary) incomparably wonderfuluniquely superb

Examples

  • 奇绝，。
    Huáng shān fēng jǐng qí jué, měi nián xī yǐn wú shù yóu kè.
    The scenery of Huangshan is incomparably wonderful, attracting countless visitors every year.
  • 奇绝，。
    Zhè fú shān shuǐ huà zhēn shì qí jué, ràng rén tàn wéi guān zhǐ.
    This landscape painting is truly uniquely superb, making people gasp in admiration.
  • 奇绝，。
    Tā de yǎn zòu jì qiǎo qí jué, guān zhòng bào yǐ rè liè zhǎng shēng.
    His performance skills are incomparably wonderful, and the audience responded with warm applause.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

奇qíextraordinary
绝juéunmatched

奇 means extraordinary and 绝 means unmatched, so 奇绝 praises something as wonderfully unique.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
大大dàbig; great
Sound part声符shēngfú
可
可kě奇
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

奇 pairs 大 (big; great) with 可, a sound part.

Open 奇 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絕; 绝 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 絕, 刀 (knife) and 幺 (silk) show a knife cutting silk threads. The simplified 绝 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original picture.

Open 绝 →

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